Thursday, 19 April 2012

Vanquish Game Wallpaper BiographyIt was dubbed “Gears of War on crack.” It was designed to be a fast-paced, super-intense third-person shooter that is simply more over-the-top than any other game in the genre. Platinum Games already has the technically impressive Bayonetta on its resume for 2010 and provided Vanquish delivered, the studio would be doubly successful this year. Headed up by noted and borderline legendary creator/director Shinji Mikami, Platinum assembled quite the talented team and made certain to dedicate all resources to the single-player campaign. The result? A damn fine game punctuated by thrill after thrill, supported by responsive and reliable control, and bolstered by a slick sci-fi atmosphere that envelops you from the get-go. The story isn’t much to get excited about, the acting can be questionable, and there is some frustration involved, but other than that…Vanquish kicks ass.You might be surprised at how good this title looks. I may be deluding myself but I think the final product is sharper and more refined than the demo that dropped last month. Some might want to complain about the lack of richness in the environment but one thing to remember- futuristic science-fiction settings are typically colder. There’s more metal, more uniform-ness, and not a heck of a lot in the way of natural color. Besides, the detail and special effects really impresses throughout; up-close character modeling is excellent as cut-scenes thrive on accomplished presentation. The gameplay visuals may not be beautiful but they offer great immersion and a surprising amount of scope and feel. The backdrops will vary, too; you’re not involved in a ceaseless firefight in the exact same vistas, which was one of my initial concerns. Special effects are a huge highlight, too, as the corresponding sound and impact will kick you right in the nuts.…that latter point is supposed to be a good thing, by the way. The sound works to emphasize the action, with the aforementioned impact effects reigning supreme; getting nailed with a rocket or missile makes you wince and melee attacks are most satisfying. Really, the effects carry the entire production and do an unbelievable job at combining with the graphics and spectacular effects. The voice acting is sort of up and down but they end up on the positive side of analysis, if only due to the cocky gruffness of Sam and the relatively well-voiced Elena Ivanovna. I also like Victor Zaitsev but other primary characters get a little tiresome, and the writing isn’t good enough for the lesser actors to shine. The soundtrack is just as frenetic as the action so it fits, but it’s a little too repetitive and often takes a back seat to the effects. Normally, this would be a bigger problem but because the action takes center-stage at all times, the effects drowning out the music isn’t as big of a downfall. Still, it’s an issue worth mentioning.While Vanquish may exist within the skin of a third-person shooter, it feels like a very different animal. Due to the sheer speed, it almost feels as if somebody gave Bayonetta a gun. Sam Gideon is a typically over-confident elite soldier who wears a special Augmented Reaction Suit (ARS). It allows him to slide for extended periods of time, execute powerful melee attacks, and coolest of all, pump enemies full of lead during a unique bullet-time mode (AR Mode). When dodging, if you hit the L1 button you’ll enable this mode, where time slows and you can really light up one or multiple foes. Even general moving and snapping into cover is quick, and the smaller, faster enemies can leap all over the place. They’re usually not the problem, though, as the bigger, super-enhanced enemies with massive firepower represent your primary concern.With a game like this, you need pinpoint control and a reliable camera, or all is lost. The good news is that everything comes together nicely: despite the speed, control remains responsive and accurate and you always have a firm grasp on Sam, and the camera usually keeps up. There was one instance on a train, when another train – equipped with plenty of enemies, of course – actually ended up being above me, and aiming during that situation was an exercise in frustration. Furthermore, there are times when that super-fast sliding can cause issues, because you might slide into something that the camera doesn’t quite see. This happened numerous times but if you understand your surroundings, this shouldn’t occur too often. Besides, I should admit I was trying to get the basic controls and/or camera to fail. But both proved surprisingly resistant to my efforts and that’s big plus.